The Big ArcTanGent Review 2026

ArcTanGent is a festival built for its community. For 3 days or 4 (if you’re really up for it) you will be surrounded by likeminded music fans who enjoy a good mix of everything heavy, experimental and well written. It’s a music festival where the music shines louder than anything else possibly could. Platforming many artists who wouldn’t typically get a place at a festival in the UK, the biggest strength of the festival is curation. You can enter the festival knowing no one on the line-up and leave with seeing multiple life changing sets and have some new favourite bands. Even when you aren’t finding out about new bands by seeing them, you’ll leave with a list of even more bands to check out by some of the most informed festival goers you will ever see.

If festivals are seen as escapism then this festival is an escape from the every day and an escape from many of the most toxic parts of large festivals. Everyone is equal at ArcTanGent where you’ll see bands watching other bands in the crowd. The line between fan and band is blurred as many of the bands will share their love of the festival on stage.

Words: Will Freeman (WF) and Zuzana Pazola (ZP)

Photos: Conrad Newton

PAPANGU

Brazilian prog rock and avant-garde metal outfit PAPANGU delivered one of Wednesday's most culturally rich sets, drawing a packed crowd to PX3. Their sound goes far beyond conventional progressive metal, incorporating elements of jazz and Brazilian folk music into dense, unpredictable arrangements. The result was technically adventurous without losing its sense of identity, with the band's cultural influences woven into the music rather than simply used as decoration. There was a particularly compelling quality to hearing such distinctly Brazilian influences within ArcTanGent's typically genre-fluid environment. With the tent heaving and the band clearly commanding the attention of everyone inside it, PAPANGU demonstrated exactly how progressive music can be both musically challenging and deeply rooted in a sense of place and culture. (ZP)

SVALBARD

It seems as if the hidden theme of this year’s festival is finality. This is the last year the festival will take place at Fernhill Farm, and this is the last performance ever of post metal giants SVALBARD. As soon as the band hit the stage the emotions are already in full swing. Most of the crowd have seen SVALBARD grow through the scene, playing many small gigs until this moment of finality. The band are as tight as ever, heavy and brutal with that little something extra they always bring. The band are playing with everything they have fighting back tears. It feels in every millisecond of silence between songs that everyone may collectively flood the tent with tears. If this is the last time we ever see SVALBARD then what a truly great way to remember them, a band who always did things on their own terms and became one with the metal scene. (WF)

OVERHEAD, THE ALBATROSS

OVERHEAD, THE ALBATROSS brought a distinctly cinematic quality to Wednesday's Yohkai stage, blending synths, shoegaze and post-rock into a set that felt both cathartic and deeply reflective. There was an almost filmic quality to the band's sound, with the expansive instrumentation creating the sense of a soundtrack unfolding in real time. That emotional connection was particularly evident during closing track Paul Lynch, with the crowd screaming its final words back at full volume. Compared with some of the more abrasive and chaotic acts elsewhere on the ArcTanGent bill, the set was certainly on the tamer side, but that proved no hindrance to its appeal. The packed-out response and sheer warmth from the crowd made it abundantly clear why OVERHEAD, THE ALBATROSS are so beloved. (ZP)

CARDIACS

CARDIACS are simply one of the best bands to ever exist. Inspiring bands from across the spectrum from BLUR to FAITH NO MORE, they are one of a kind. They have long been known as your favourite musician’s favourite band and their set showcased everything they are. Bathed in theatrics and a dedication to late front man Tim Smith, the band bring you into their world. Sitting somewhere between punk, prog, chaos and demented circus music, they play everything note perfect. Midway through the set the virtuosity of the band is in full swing with Fiery Gun Hand when Kavus Torbai and Mike Vennart (ArcTanGent regular and now frontman of CARDIACS) trade solos off each other. The true climax of the set happens during Dirty Boy which has become an anthem for the band. The build of the song to the final lyrics of ‘Over and Out’ lingers in the air for two minutes of musical bliss. They truly are one of the best bands to ever do it in every incarnation and form they have taken. (WF)

OTAY:ONII

OTAY:ONII's Thursday performance was less a conventional gig and more an exercise in experimental performance art. Described as one of the most inquisitive and genre-defying artists of her generation, the set made a convincing case for the description, veering between moments of completely overwhelming distortion and hysterics before dropping into eerie ambience and unexpectedly gentle melodies. It was certainly not an experience designed for everyone, but its refusal to settle into anything predictable was precisely what made it so compelling. OTAY:ONII entered the crowd for both her opening and closing songs, creating an oddly intimate atmosphere despite performing inside one of the festival's largest tents. Surreal, confrontational and at times genuinely disorientating, the performance demonstrated just how far experimentation can be pushed when there is no interest in staying within conventional musical boundaries. (ZP)

SIKTH

The Wednesday tradition at ArcTanGent used to be a day of the best bands of the last year, and now it’s become a general day of booking fan favourites. SIKTH are a very typical band for the fest having played here before. A progressive metal band that turns up the metal to maximum with elements of mathcore thrown in for good measure, their music is a thickly dense, complicated wall of metal that will blast your face off. When you are not standing in awe of the instrumentals, you have a tough time knowing where to look with duel vocalists of the band Justin Hill and Mikee Goodman running around stage. For many there it was a nostalgia trip of a band they’ve grown up with and for others it was simply a set of great music. (WF)

WITCH SORROW

Being asked during the middle of the set “are you having a sinful day” sums up the metal nature of WITCH SORROW. Sonically and spiritually very old school heavy metal with a lot of doom metal influence running through their sound, they are everything great about classic metal without being stagnant. They clearly love everything metal which is evident when Serena Cherry of recently disbanded band SVALBARD briefly comes on stage to provide some metal growls. A true celebration of everything metal. (WF)

BUCKET

BUCKET turned PX3 into one of Thursday's sweatiest tents, bringing a DIY garage-punk energy that collided with elements of noise, hardcore and industrial music. The performance was relentlessly energetic, with the band's enthusiasm proving highly infectious as the crowd threw themselves into the chaos. From outside the tent the mosh pit looked positively punishing, while inside the sheer number of people packed into the space made getting anywhere near its centre a challenge in itself. Rather than feeling overwhelming, however, the density of the crowd only added to the atmosphere, with everyone seemingly determined to make the most of the opportunity. The combination of rawness and unfiltered energy made for a gloriously physical live show. (ZP)

PSYCHONAUT

PSYCHONAUT are one so ArcTanGent coded through and through. Their post metal sound and attention to musical detail is what draws so many at the festival to them, intense and intricate without being pretentious, and their live show offers a note perfect rendition of their tracks. As heavy as the music is, it isn’t for moshing it’s for taking in with the crowd headbanging in unison. The band work in blending every mood they offer which leads to songs flowing as if a stream of consciousness. You do have to be in the right mood to experience them, but if you are you’re in for a treat. (WF)

TONY DANZA TAP DANCE EXTRAVAGANZA

Playing their first ever UK show TONY DANZA TAP DANCE EXTRAVAGANZA brought their chaotic vibe to the festival even though a few members were unable to make the gig. Despite lacking members for the UK dates of their tour, they brought the full force of their chaotic sound. As soon as the band announced a competition to see who could crowd surf the most the entire tent complied with the request and a tsunami of bodies erupted. With so many people crowd surfing traffic jams appeared at the barrier for people to complete their journey. The band have a great sense of humour and the crowd appreciated finally having the chance to see them live. Truly one of the highlights of the festival. (WF)

IGORRR

IGORRR's Thursday night performance was nothing short of breathtaking. Known for combining breakcore, black and death metal, baroque and classical music, electronic production, and trip-hop into something almost impossible to categorise, the project has evolved from a solo endeavour into an extraordinarily ambitious live band. The presence of a classical vocalist only heightened the sense that something completely unique was unfolding on stage. Every element felt larger than life, with the combination of music, lighting, and atmosphere transforming the Main Stage tent into something approaching a cinematic experience. Abrupt shifts between styles somehow remained cohesive, creating moments that were simultaneously brutal and completely surreal. Their music is difficult enough to describe on record; experienced live, it became almost overwhelming in the best possible way. (ZP)

CHELSEA WOLFE

CHELSEA WOLFE is probably one of the more accessible headliners ArcTanGent has ever had, yet her set was truly uncompromising. A visual treat which blended well with the thick musical atmosphere she created. A blend of folk music with many dark elements and alt rock song structures, she truly is a master of her craft. The audience fell quiet during her set, not out of dislike, but so they could bask in the atmosphere of the set. Only being an hour and fifteen set it did feel like she could have gone slightly longer for a headline set, but she filled every second. Proving her connection with the metal community she brought out a member of ALCEST to provide some wonderful metal vocals. It was a true experience of the beauty of atmospheric story telling. (WF)

MOKSHA

MOKSHA is the new project of Sam Chetan-Welsh, best known as the guitarist of ITHACA, but this band feel almost the total opposite. Musically they sit somewhere between mid-west emo and symphonic prog complete with horns and truly beautiful vocals. A lot of the audience knew nothing about the band other than the ITHACA connection, so truly did not expect anything like this, yet the band truly captivated everyone present, opening the set instructing the audience through breath work to help bring the spiritual connection to the crowd. For a band so early in their career they feel so complete. Despite only having one single out their music already feels like something truly classic. They fit in a breath of fresh air among the heavier music of the week whilst still having excellent guitar work. (WF)

CONJURER

One of the most anticipated performances of the weekend, CONJURER more than lived up to expectations on the Main Stage. Often described through the overlapping labels of sludge, doom, and post-metal, the band's music is ultimately far too expansive to be contained by any single genre descriptor. Their heaviness was immense, but it was matched by an equally strong command of atmosphere, with moments of ambience and beauty woven through the crushing riffs. The set also carried an important message, with the band openly expressing their support for the trans community and affirming that trans people have always existed and always will. The declaration was met with an enormous response from the crowd, making an already powerful performance feel even more significant. CONJURER demonstrated that extreme heaviness and genuine emotional depth can coexist effortlessly. (ZP)

WITCHFEVER

Bringing their gothic alt rock sound to ArcTanGent proving why they keep getting bigger, WITCHFEVER always seem confident on stage as they know what they do well. Their music always sounds just as powerful live as it does in the studio. Engaging the crowd in circle pits and general shenanigans, they have a true maturity in their stage presence. The band are proud of how far they have come working hard every step of the way to build their place in the musical landscape. WITCHFEVER feel like at every stage you see them the next time will be on a much larger stage, they keep growing and you should get into them before they headline arenas. (WF)

NAPALM DEATH

There is very little to say about NAPALM DEATH other than they are literally NAPALM DEATH. True legends of the heavy music world unafraid to bring their anti-fascist and inclusive message wherever they play, their music is as powerful as ever and watching Barney Greenway run around on stage whilst looking like he is being chased by bees is always wonderful. As soon as he hits the stage it’s like a switch is flicked and he has every single riff travel through his body at once. They are one band that every heavy music fan will see at some point and for good reason, they are legends. Their music washes everything away leaving only a new sense of self. Very few bands hit as hard as NAPALM DEATH do, uncompromising for over 40 years. (WF)

KULK

KULK proved that an enormous sound does not necessarily require an enormous band, with the duo producing a genuinely colossal performance on PX3. Describing their music as an exploration of human suffering and an extension of their own relationship, the band's approach was suitably intense, combining crushing heaviness with a chaotic and deeply physical live presence. The contrast between the size of the line-up and the sheer scale of the sound was particularly impressive, with the duo filling the stage sonically despite having only two members. The crowd responded in kind, producing one of the most energetic and reactive audiences of the entire festival. KULK's performance was heavy, unpredictable and impressively controlled, demonstrating just how much impact two people can generate when every element of the performance is working at full force. (ZP)

PRIMUS

As Friday's headliners, PRIMUS had the unenviable task of following an entire day of genre-defying performances, but their arrival immediately turned the Main Stage into one enormous party. Few bands are as capable of making genuinely strange music feel this accessible, with their blend of metal, funk, punk, country, roots rock, and experimental psychedelia held together by Les Claypool's unmistakable bass playing and witty, often surreal storytelling. The audience's traditional cries of "Primus sucks" were met with exactly the kind of knowing enthusiasm the phrase demands, adding to an atmosphere that felt less like a headline performance and more like thousands of friends getting together to celebrate a band they all love. Beneath the humour and eccentricity was some astonishing musicianship. By the end of the set, it was difficult to imagine anyone leaving without a massive smile on their face. (ZP)

MEATDRIPPER

Describing themselves as a psych-sludge band, MEATDRIPPER combined the hazy qualities of psychedelic and punk rock with the crushing weight of doom and sludge. The result was a sound that felt simultaneously enormous and strangely hypnotic, built around layers of heavy instrumentation and riffs that seemed to accumulate on top of one another. The vocals added another dimension entirely, adopting an unusual, almost trance-like quality that complemented the band's heavier passages rather than simply sitting above them. There was a surprisingly strong atmospheric element to the performance, with MEATDRIPPER demonstrating that sludge can create a sense of space as effectively as it creates sheer weight. The set was a particularly effective demonstration of how psychedelic textures and crushing heaviness can coexist without either side losing its impact. (ZP)

PUPIL SLICER

PUPIL SLICER brought an appropriately feral conclusion to their PX3 appearance, delivering a hectic and chaotic set to a tent packed well beyond comfortable capacity. The ensuing mosh and circle pits kicked up enough dust to turn the room into a haze, but there was little sign of anyone caring as the crowd threw themselves into the chaos. Beneath the apparent disorder, however, was an impressive level of precision and planning. PUPIL SLICER's music may feel completely unhinged in the moment, but the live performance revealed just how much control is required to make that chaos work. Their DIY sensibility remained firmly intact, however, giving the set a raw and immediate quality that clearly resonated with the audience. Judging by the response, PUPIL SLICER remain very much a band with big things ahead of them. (ZP)

JO QUAIL

How can one of the loudest sets of the festival only be a cello with trombones? JO QUAIL brings a set of instrumental intensity that features compositions that build gradually, musically so outside of the world of metal but playing to a festival that embraces music no matter what genre. The volume of the set just washes over the crowd; the use of volume is like nothing else at the festival. Delicate cello parts that then build up complimented by percussion and six trombones, it looks like a classical concert but hits like a wall of death. Truly outstanding music and probably the best crowd to watch it in. (WF)

A.A. WILLIAMS

A.A. WILLIAMS brought a beautifully atmospheric closer to the Bixler stage on Saturday, delivering a performance that demonstrated just how heavy music can feel without relying on conventional abrasion or aggression. Ethereal, heart-wrenching, and often breathtakingly expansive, the set built its weight through gentleness, moments of near silence, and enormous instrumentation rather than sheer volume. Williams' vocals were consistently exceptional, carrying an extraordinary amount of power while remaining perfectly suited to the delicate passages surrounding them. Her guitar work was equally impressive, with a formidable pedalboard helping shape the vast sonic landscapes that filled the stage throughout the performance. There was something particularly fitting about experiencing such a reflective and atmospheric set towards the end of ArcTanGent's final year at Fernhill Farm. As the festival prepares to move to a new home, A.A. WILLIAMS provided a suitably poignant closing note for one of its stages. (ZP)

CHAT PILE

When the band aren’t playing their front man is talking about festival films, a lot of CHAT PILE’s charm comes from how earnest they are as people and in their music. The dustiest mosh pit of the week with many covering their mouths to make breathing a little easier, but this does nothing to quell the passion of the crowd. The last time they played the festival they played a lot earlier in the day and now they are high up on the main stage. ArcTanGent gets bands just at the right time and CHAT PILE feel like soon they may be too big for the festival. Their music has a groove that runs through it just enough to help people navigate the chaos - you can dance, you can mosh, but you will have to survive the dust. The band still keep their DIY roots close, but they are polished despite the stank their music has. One of the most engaging frontmen of the weekend. (WF)

CULT OF LUNA AND JULIE CHRISTMAS

Mariner has become one of the most legendary post metal albums of the last ten years and it felt like after CULT OF LUNA AND JULIE CHRISTMAS finished touring that would be the end of the album. Yet ten years later the album comes to life once more so even more people can experience the beauty of the project. The band members are basked in darkness lit from behind, their shadows only leading into the atmosphere of the album. Julie Christmas has been signed by festival goers so she can bring them into the performance of the album, not that you could see anything other than her silhouette on stage. The band sound pretty much note perfect to the album despite how much time has passed. The audience stand in awe of the musical perfection take place. There aren’t many festivals that would have anything like this as a headliner but ArcTanGent knows how to choose something truly special to headline. It’s fitting as an end to the festival, likely the last time this album is ever performed as the last notes to be played at Fernhill Farm ring out. Next festival will feel like a rebirth. (WF)

See you at your new field in 2027, ArcTanGent!